Local Research Ethics Committees can audit ethical standards in research.
OBJECTIVE
To show that a Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC) can carry out an audit of ethical standards in research. To find out if a researcher met certain ethical standards in recruiting subjects for clinical trials and in obtaining their consent.


METHODS
Postal questionnaire.


METHODS
Clinical research by one doctor during one year.


METHODS
Eleven patients entered in clinical trials.


METHODS
Success in ethics committee obtaining data. Achievement of ethical standards in recruitment of subjects and in obtaining consent.


RESULTS
The audit was successfully carried out and standards were partly met.


CONCLUSIONS
Local Research Ethics Committees can carry out audits of the conduct of research projects which they have approved. Provision for possible audits can be made at the time of application to the committee. Our committee thought the ethical standards in the research which we audited were acceptable.
Berry
J
J
Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath, West Sussex.
D032882:Comprehension; D030881:Disclosure; D026724:Ethical Review; D028744:Ethics Committees, Research; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008485:Medical Audit; D012106:Research / Q000592:standards*; D035842:Research Subjects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D036302:Therapeutic Human Experimentation; D006113:United Kingdom